What words to express ‘subtle’ in Japanese?
微妙な、さりげない、かすかな、ほのかな、つかみどころのない
精巧な、巧妙な
繊細な、敏感な
We can distinguish three meanings of the word ‘subtle’ according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.
Japanese uses different expressions for each meaning.
1. (often approving) not very obvious or easy to notice
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say 微妙な、さりげない、かすかな、ほのかな、つかみどころのない.
2. behaving or organized in a clever way, and using indirect methods, in order to achieve something
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say 精巧な、巧妙な.
3. good at noticing and understanding things
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say 繊細な、敏感な.
Advanced Tips
For example, the following sentence may be difficult to translate.
She’s been dropping subtle hints about what she’d like as a present.
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
If you translate it as the one below, it’s fine, but it might contain a bit of disapproval.
彼女はプレゼントに何がほしいのか、微妙なヒントを出していった。
So I recommend the below.
彼女はプレゼントに何が欲しいのか、さりげなくヒントを出していった。
If you want to to express her elegant or mysterious behaviour, I think this would be better.
